It is known to install an opening or pet door in a door of a residence to enable a pet to easily leave and return to the residence without intervention by the pet owner. Known pet doors are typically installed within an opening that is cut out of the pet owner's residence door or wall. In many cases, these known pet door components are designed to be nailed or screwed into the residence door, thus complicating installation of the pet door. Further, known pet doors may not fit all residence doors, which typically have different thicknesses and other custom properties.
In cases where a pet door is properly installed within an aperture formed in the residence door, the passageway that is created to allow a pet to leave and enter the residence has been known to create certain problems. For example, weather conditions, such as rain and cold, are known to enter the pet owner's residence via the passageway even when the pet door is not being used by the pet for entry or exit. Moreover, making the passageway through the pet door relatively large, to be able to accommodate large pets, may pose a security problem for the pet owner. In some cases, stray animals have been known to enter the pet owner's residence via the pet door. In other cases, small children and other human intruders might be able to fit through the passageway to gain access to the pet owner's residence.
Further, known pet doors typically appear bland and are generally aesthetically unappealing, particularly when added to certain decorative residence doors or residence doors that are adjacent to decorative interior or exterior sections of a residence. Thus, these known pet doors may detract from the exterior and interior décor, not match or be misplaced relative to the residential facade. For example, a typical pet door includes square frames fixed to the residence door with screws, nails or other fasteners. Further, typical pet doors do not allow residence owners the ability to make stylistic changes to the pet door following its installation.
Accordingly, known pet doors can be improved. There is a need for pet doors that are adjustable to fit residence doors having various thicknesses and adjustable or customizable to fit the openings formed in those residence doors and the residential facade. Providing adjustable pet doors would greatly increase the desirability and applicability of pet doors.
It is desirable to provide the pet door with an aesthetically pleasing appearance. It is also desirable for the pet owner to be able to substitute or change one decorative feature of the pet door for another in order to vary the style, color or architectural shape of the pet door to match the residential facade.
Moreover, there is an associated need for a pet door that also provide security features so that the pet door can be closed and secured. For example, when the pet is to remain inside or when the pet door is not in use to guard against intruders, children, and other animals passing through the pet door.
Pet door installation components and techniques can also be improved. In particular, it should not be necessary to drill holes in a residence door or insert fasteners into a residence door since installing pet doors in these conventional manners complicates the installation.